Everything that had happened had nothing to do with Yong.
At that moment, he had just left Route 101 and arrived in Gumei Town.
He had carefully avoided the places where Bug-type Pokémon gathered along the way. Fortunately, he had made it through safely this time. It seemed the Bug-type outbreak really had been resolved.
Returning to the Pokémon Center, Yong handed his Pokédex to Nurse Joy and said with a smile,
"Nurse Joy, I'd like to register for the Ever Grande Conference."
"Of course."
Taking his Pokédex, Nurse Joy quickly completed the registration on her computer and asked gently,
"Shiyan Yong, please confirm that you wish to enter the Ever Grande Conference."
"Yes, Nurse Joy!"
"All right, your registration is complete. Good luck at the League tournament!"
Returning the Pokédex to Yong, Nurse Joy encouraged him,
"Try to earn a good placing!"
"I will. Thank you!"
After saying goodbye to Nurse Joy and leaving the Pokémon Center, Yong headed toward Route 103 north of town in high spirits.
Unlike the grass and shrubs of Route 101, Route 103 lay along the coast, across the sea from Mauville City.
As a result, the coastal side consisted mostly of wetlands and marshes, one of Mudkip's ideal habitats. Finding a rare starter Pokémon here was perfectly normal.
News traveled very quickly...
In just two days, the coast and wetlands were full of Trainers hoping to catch a Mudkip. Among them were plenty of junior and even intermediate Trainers. After all, its final evolution, Swampert, was more than capable of serving as a Trainer's main Pokémon!
For anyone whose team wasn't finalized or who hadn't filled all six slots, catching a Mudkip with tremendous potential was an excellent choice.
Yong wasn't in a hurry to search for Mudkip. Something like that couldn't be forced. He decided to train Onix here as planned. Being close to the sea also gave him a chance to improve its resistance to water.
He found a spot at the foot of a hill, with the hillside behind it and the sea in front. Yong nodded in satisfaction.
"Come on out, Onix!"
Taking out a Poké Ball and releasing Onix, Yong looked at it and said,
"Next up is special training. Are you ready, Onix?"
"Roar!"
Onix nodded. After its battle with the overlord-level Beedrill, it had become much steadier. Perhaps it had recognized its shortcomings, because it was now full of determination.
"Good. This training will focus on your move proficiency and resistance to water. Give it your best!"
Onix nodded, signaling that it was ready for anything!
"But there's no rush. We'll take it step by step. First, we'll keep strengthening your body, so you won't need to return to your Poké Ball during training. This little hill will be your home. Absorb plenty of rock energy. Growing quickly is part of the training, too!"
"Roar~"
Onix gave a happy rumble.
So Rock-type and Ground-type Pokémon really did like eating dirt?
"The first step is to master Iron Tail so we can make the most of your excellent physical defense and hardness! It won't just expand your offensive coverage; you can use it to defend, too, like you did against Lombre. With enough proficiency, you'll definitely be able to block attacks!"
Onix listened intently to Yong and nodded to show it understood.
"It'll also let you get familiar with Steel-type energy in advance, preparing you to evolve into Steelix! So let's start by training your tail. Begin with smashing rocks, without using a move, and see how far your raw strength can take you! At the end, use Iron Tail to test the results. At night, go into the hill and absorb hard rocks to strengthen yourself!"
Looking solemnly at the crack on Onix's head, Yong said in a low voice,
"Onix, we have to work hard. To become stronger, we need to do everything we can to overcome your fear of water. So try approaching the sea little by little!"
"Roar!"
Turning toward the nearby sea, Onix worked to steady itself and let out a cry to prove its determination.
"Then go take a look at your new home. I need to set up the tent first!"
Patting Onix's body, Yong walked toward the clearing with a smile. Leaving Onix to burrow into the hill with Dig, he began his first camping trip in the wild.
It took a great deal of effort to pitch the tent. The first time really was difficult.
Taking out the food he had bought beforehand, he began preparing lunch. He put Pokémon food and Pokéblocks into the bowl he had set aside for Onix, then poured in a bottle of Moomoo Milk!
This was one of Pokémon's favorite drinks! Yong called toward the hill,
"Time to eat, Onix!"
With a series of rumbling sounds, Onix emerged from the hill.
It approached the food and began eating contentedly. Although swallowing rocks and minerals could meet its growth needs, Pokéblocks and Moomoo Milk were also essential for improving a Pokémon's nutrition and abilities. Combining both was the best way to raise it.
Watching Onix eat, Yong started on his own meal. He could faintly make out quite a few plumes of cooking smoke rising nearby.
Looks like there are plenty of campers.
"Iron Tail!"
A layer of pale silvery energy swiftly coated Onix's tail, which slammed down onto a huge, hard rock!
Bang!
Onix had dug this exceptionally hard rock out of the hill. Once processed, carrying it could boost the power of Rock-type moves. Absorbing it could also increase its own mass.
It had taken Onix ten days to progress from breaking ordinary rocks with raw strength to shattering these hard rocks. When it used a move, the hard rocks stood no chance, breaking apart under a single blow from Iron Tail and scattering across the ground!
Ding! Training completed. Training Points +1. Gained a small amount of experience. Ding! Training completed. Training Points +1. Move breakthrough achieved. Awarded 5 Training Points. Gained a small amount of experience.
"Keep going, Onix!"
"Roar!"
A little while later...
"These hard rocks are all yours. Absorb them, then it's time for your water-treading training!"
"Roar~"
After absorbing all the hard rock fragments into its body, Onix crawled toward the sea.
It slowly lowered its body into the waves. Although the water was only shallow, this was a huge step forward for a Rock-type afraid of water!
As wave after wave struck and washed over its body, Onix lay quietly coiled in the shallows. Yong stayed with it, sitting cross-legged on its body as they meditated together, feeling the power of nature and the ocean.
Ding! Training completed. Training Points +1. Gained a small amount of experience.
"Great, Onix! Time for battle training!"
"Roar!"
There were still plenty of Trainers nearby.
"Onix, finish it off with Tackle!"
Bang!
Ding! Battle ended! Onix won. Gained 2 Training Points and a small amount of experience!
Time passed just like that, and soon, more than half a month had gone by.
Through prolonged training and battles against wetland Pokémon and novice Trainers, Onix's strength had improved considerably!
Even more noticeably, after this period of growth, its body had reached 7.5 meters in length and its weight had risen to 190 kilograms! Its dark gray rocky body now exuded a heavy, metallic presence!
Combined with the straight scar across its head, it looked especially imposing.
All the Training Points earned through training, along with those from earlier battles, had been invested in Iron Tail! Spending 100 points could raise a move's proficiency to the proficient level!
Raising it beyond proficient required another 1,000 points!
Onix had gained levels quickly during this period and had even learned new moves, an unexpected bonus.
Pokémon: Onix Lv25, the Rock Snake Pokémon. When it burrows through earth and stone underground, it produces rumbling sounds that shake the ground. It moves underground at 80 kilometers per hour. Gender: Male Type: Rock + Ground Nature: Adamant Ability: Rock Head. Prevents recoil damage from its own moves. Can be affected by Ability suppression. Moves: Tackle (proficient), Screech (proficient), Bind (proficient), Dig (mastered), Return (proficient), Harden (proficient), Slam (proficient), Sand Tomb (proficient), Rock Throw (proficient), Rock Slide (proficient) Egg Moves: Dragon Tail (), Iron Tail (mastered), Head Smash (proficient) TMs: None
With all the Training Points spent, Onix's stats had already changed dramatically.
Not only had all its move proficiencies risen to proficient, but Iron Tail had reached the mastered level through point investment! However, it couldn't be raised any further. It would probably only be able to break through after Onix evolved into Steelix.
Through training and constant battles, its level had risen to Lv25, just barely meeting the standard for an intermediate Trainer.
But since he had yet to prove himself in a Gym battle, Yong still only counted as a novice Trainer-albeit one with a level 25 Pokémon.
Considering the shortcomings in Onix's moves and typing, Yong planned to buy it a few TMs after the special training ended to address its limited coverage and weaknesses.
While busy training, Yong hadn't forgotten to search for Mudkip. Yet despite the many Trainers looking, no one had actually found any trace of it. Every so often, there would be reports of footprints here or a nest there.
They were all just attention-seeking farces.
However, late at night when everything was quiet, a tiny figure would sneak around the camps looking for food. Eventually, it reached Yong's camp and ate the Pokémon food deliberately left outside his tent... Little by little, the little creature became hooked on its delicious flavor...
A second visit!
A third...
Over more than half a month, the little creature visited five or six times!
Apart from the first visit, every time it came, a pair of delighted eyes secretly watched it through a gap in the tent as it finished eating and left.
Another night arrived. Since this was the final night of their special training, Yong made a point of letting Onix rest properly and recalled it to its Poké Ball.
Once again, he "accidentally" left a portion of Pokémon food near the hill, well away from the tent, before going back inside.
Before long, the light went out, and everything fell quiet.
Without warning, the tent suddenly shifted, then went still again.
The night was silent.